Vancouver Island Sea Dog Amber Ale Now Available

VICTORIA, BC – As first announced in early March, Vancouver Island Brewery has crafted a new beer in honour of the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Navy.

Sea Dog Amber Ale is described by Brewmaster Ralf Pittroffs as follows:

Sea Dog is an amber ale fashioned after the German Altbier style. Like a true Altbier, it is fermented with ale yeast, but at a colder lager temperature. This gives it a clean finish with no esters like a lager, but retaining the malty quality of an ale. Its deep copper colour comes from a heavy addition of dark crystal malt, and a touch of chocolate malt. Sea Dog is lightly bittered, so as to not mask it’s intense maltyness. Most of its hop character comes from a heavy dose of Willamette and Hallertauer hops at the very end of the boil.

Sea Dog Amber Ale is available now on draught in pubs and restaurants in the Victoria area, and in 6-packs at BC government and private liquor stores.

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Phillips Dr. Funk Dunkel

VICTORIA, BC – West coast beer blogs Beer in BC and Love Good Beer report that Phillips Brewing has just released a new seasonal beer, Dr. Funk Dunkel, and is promoting it with a YouTube video:

Dr. Funk Dunkel is available in the latest edition of the Phillips Showcase Mixed Pack, and in growlers at the brewery.

Ontario Craft Brewers Announce Ontario Craft Beer Week

TORONTO, ON – The Ontario Craft Brewers today announced plans for the first annual Ontario Craft Beer Week, set to take place June 20th to 26th, 2010. Full details are in the press release included below:

Ontario Craft Brewers (OCB) DECLARE FIRST ANNUAL ‘ONTARIO CRAFT BEER WEEK’
June 20 – 26, 2010
A Week-long Festival Celebrating Ontario’s Small & Independent Breweries

The Ontario Craft Brewers (OCB) are pleased to announce the establishment of an annual ‘Ontario Craft Beer Week’, a celebration of our province’s thriving, locally-based craft beer industry. The inaugural week will run from June 20 – 26, 2010, throughout the province of Ontario. OCB is the association representing 25 small, independent craft brewers in Ontario.

The week-long festival will feature a series of special events designed to expose consumers to the craft beer experience through tasting events, brewery tours, cooking demonstrations, food pairings, beer dinners, and much more. Ontario Craft Beer Week will kick off on Father’s Day with special events at breweries and restaurants.

Labatt to Close Lakeport Brewery in Hamilton

HAMILTON, ON – Labatt Breweries announced today that it is closing the Lakeport Brewing plant in Hamilton as of April 30th, and will be shifting production of the Lakeport brands to its London facility.

In a statement, Labatt said that the move is “the result of the need to improve operating efficiency in a demanding market”, and is the “only rational business decision available to us”. The closure will result in the loss of jobs for 143 workers, including 99 hourly and 22 salaried who are currently working, as well as another 22 who are laid off.

Labatt purchased the Lakeport brewery and brands in February, 2007 in order to capture a large percentage of Ontario’s lucrative discount/”buck-a-beer” market.

More details have been reported by the Toronto Star and London Free Press.

UPDATE: The Hamilton Spectator reports that “the (brewing) equipment in the building will be hauled away” by Labatt after the closure. This will make it difficult, if not impossible, for another brewery to be established in the facility.

Paddock Wood Maibock

SASKATOON, SK – Paddock Wood Brewing is about to release a new seasonal beer, Maibock. Set to be out in bottles and kegs by the beginning of April, it’s described as “a smooth showcase of malt”.

The brewery will also be represented at the Okanagan Fest-of-Ale in Penticton, BC on April 9th & 10th, where they’ll be pouring the Maibock along with their 606 IPA and Loki double IPA.

New Beer & Mixed Pack from Muskoka Cottage Brewery

BRACEBRIDGE, ON – Muskoka Cottage Brewery has announced the upcoming release of a new beer, Muskoka Light Pilsner, as well as a new mixed-pack featuring their entire line-up.

Brewery rep Mike Laba tells the Great Canadian Pubs and Beer blog that Light Pilsner is “clean, refreshing, and flavourful for a lower alcohol (4%) pilsner”. In addition, unlike many mainstream light beers that are brewed to a higher alcohol and watered down, 4% is the original gravity of the Light Pilsner.

To help launch the beer, the brewery will be releasing a Muskoka Mixer 5 Pack featuring 473 ml cans of Muskoka Premium Lager, Hefe-Weissbier, Cream Ale, Dark Ale and Light Pilsner. The package will be available soon at LCBO outlets for $12.45.

Tree Captivator Doppelbock

KELOWNA, BC – Captivator Doppelbock, the newest beer from Tree Brewing, is set to arrive in BC liquor stores.

This limited edition spring seasonal is described by the brewery as follows:

Captivator Doppelbock offers a sweet aroma with hints of toffee, light caramel and hazelnut. Unpasteurized and free of preservatives, it has a characteristic dark reddish hue. As a limited edition seasonal brew, Captivator will be available starting this week in 650 ml bottles.

National Homebrewers Competition Canadian Qualifier 2010

REGINA, SK – From April 12 to 17, 2010, the best homebrewers from across Canada will compete in Regina at the 2010 National Homebrewers Competition Canadian Qualifier / ALES Homebrew Open.

Now in its 16th year, the ALES Homebrew Open is the largest and longest running competition of homebrewed beer, cider and mead in Canada. It is organized by Regina’s Ale and Lager Enthusiasts of Saskatchewan (ALES) club, and is hosted by the Bushwakker Brewpub.

Medal winners from this competition advance to the American Homebrewers Association National Homebrew Competition (June 17 to 19 in Minneapolis, MN), which is the largest competition of its kind in the world. The ALES Homebrew Open has served as the NHC Canadian Qualifier since 2004.

Prizes and medals will be awarded in 28 categories of beer, cider and mead as classified by the internationally recognized Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). Certified judges will be evaluating entries in accordance with BJCP style guidelines and scoring systems.

HogsBack Brewing To Launch In April

OTTAWA, ON – As first announced last October, HogsBack Brewing is preparing to officially launch their flagship beer in early April.

HogsBack Vintage Lager is being brewed on a contract by an established brewery in Toronto, and will be distributed in the Ottawa area once the kegs arrive. It’s described as “a European-inspired lager with superior flavour derived from using only premium ingredients combining three malt types, unique Saaz hops and German lager yeast.”

HogsBack will continue to outsource their brewing for the foreseeable future, but the owners hope to have their own brewing facility in operation by the summer of 2011.

Beau’s Releases Two New Beers, Repackages Lug Tread

VANKLEEK HILL, ON – Beau’s All Natural Brewing will be releasing two beers this week – the return of the seasonal Beaver River I.P.eh?, and the brand new Matt’s Sleepytime Stout.

Beaver River is a part of Beau’s on-going seasonals program, complimenting its flagship Lug Tread Lagered Ale with a rotating seasonal beer. It’s an authentic India Pale Ale, designed to appeal to hopheads, and this year the beer has been dry-hopped as well, to amplify the Pacific Gem and Summit hop aromas. Beaver River is named after the Riviere Castor which connects Ottawa to many Eastern Ontario towns and villages.

Matt’s Sleepytime Stout is the first of Beau’s new Wild Oats program,designed to explore some of the most challenging styles in beer to provide truly unique taste experiences. Sleepytime is an Imperial Stout (8% abv), fermented with Belgian yeast and aged with oak staves. Tastes of chocolate, coffee and vanilla are complimented with American hops and a true Belgian character in the finish.

In addition to this pair of new beers, Beau’s has also relaunched Lug Tread in a unique new package featuring four 600 ml bottles. The four-pack features more beer but less packaging than an average six-pack, and features labels are printed on treeless paper to help reduce deforestation, and a non-bleached cardboard box made from 100% post-consumer recycled material. The new four-pack is currently being rolled out to LCBO locations, replacing the 750 ml ceramic bottle which will now be used exclusively for seasonal releases.